Hull KR broke a record last night and, luckily for them, it didn’t imply some sort of statistic on the most Golden Point losses in four weeks.
Rather, it was Ben Crooks, his called center, who scored the fastest try in Super League history after having crossed in just seven seconds against the sleeping Huddersfield Giants.
Still, that was the beginning of the game and this is Hull KR, so inevitably there was even more drama at the end. Almost involving Golden Point.
Jordan Abdull nonchalantly scored a drop-goal in the 77th minute to seal the Robins’ first win of the season, just as it looked like they were heading into extra time for the third time in four games this year.
The scrum half showed real character in the circumstances, having been partly responsible for his club losing in overtime at Golden Point to Castleford Tigers on the same ground a week earlier.
They had blown a 22-6 position to lose that and also lost to the Catalans Dragons in overtime.
And Smith’s team seemed to see another lead disappear last night after being 18-0 ahead in the first half before Lee Gaskell’s interval introduction at winger inspired a thrilling comeback for the Giants.
They advanced 20-18 in the 65th minute after Chris McQueen scored a controversial try, embarrassingly losing the ball as he sought to place it, only to see video referee Chris Kendall declare that he had stepped back before the Australian had his second stab.
Aidan Sezer’s conversion put them ahead and the Rovers could have easily collapsed, but Jermaine McGillvary spilled Abdull’s high kick and Kane Linnett ran to regain the lead.
Still, more frenetic drama ensued as Gaskell, continually attacking KR’s right edge, unleashed Jake Wardle and Darnell McIntosh got his second try in the 72nd minute.
However, Sezer was open with his effort on the touchline, and Abdull overtook them before Huddersfield twice made dramatic late offers to win the game back before falling to a third loss in four games.
It had started badly for them.
Crooks improved after an odd start in which Wardle and Sezer hinted at Abdull’s kickoff, but neither compromised.
When Giants winger Sam Wood finally rushed toward him, fearing the ball would bounce into touch, the ball gave a wicked bounce and passed it toward his own goal line.
Crooks ran to pick up and land happily as the Huddersfield investigation began.
The fastest previous Super League try came after 14 seconds and was courtesy of St Helens’ Tim Jonkers against Wakefield Trinity in 2002.
The NRL record is 13 seconds, but Dean Hatton of Wigan St Patrick holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest attempt in rugby league after 7.3 seconds against Egremont six years ago.
Clearly Crooks, who limped off early in second period, could now be challenging that.
Most importantly, of course, was that Rovers won, ending a six-game losing streak that dates back to last season.
Abdull converted Crooks ‘first game and added a penalty shortly after as they built on their positive start, hooker Matt Parcell also broke the Giants’ defensive line and Albert Vete’s discharge caused more problems for slow visitors.
Huddersfield struggled to gain momentum and was not helped when Sezer, his star signing in his first appearance of the season, missed the touch with a penalty.
He was asked to make a crucial entry to Parcell when his Australian compatriot split them once again and the Giants looked like a pale shadow of the team that posted their first win of the season against Leigh Centurions on Sunday.
The Rovers lost their Australian prop Sims to a blow to the head after just six minutes, the great signing of St George Illawarra unfortunately missing an HIA for the second time in three games.
He made their team’s task even more difficult, but they were well cared for by their front row partner, George King, who continued their excellent start to the season.
Crooks got his second down when Mikey Lewis slid through a grubber in the 24th minute and they recorded back-to-back attempts as King pushed through from the restart, finding Abdull and Lewis racing to Abdull to put them 18-0 ahead.
The Giants finally found some rhythm when Adam O’Brien entered the fray, Jack Cogger running last and Leroy Cudjoe throwing a pass for Jermaine McGillvary to cross and leave them 18-4 behind at the break.
The game seemed to be turning in their favor when Linnett was controversially ruled out for a try in the 53rd minute.
It was cleaned up after Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Gaskell collided after Abdull’s high kick hit the ground, but Kendall ruled that the Rovers captain had fouled against the Giants’ replacement.
Within seconds, Gaskell was setting McIntosh up for a try, moving forward …
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-04-16 21:48:09
